Stop press! I was just finishing off my review of International Phonograph Inc (IPI)’s  Ravi Shankar Live in Luxembourg when an email from IPI landed in my inbox with an irresistible offer… a rare tape of great musicians that few will ever hear, and at a very reasonable price. Here are the details. Jimmy Smith … More New from International Phonograph Inc: Jimmy Smith Trio live in 1964

It’s been a real joy to watch the market for, and the availability of, music on tape expanding in recent years. The drivers of this expansion, as already discussed at length elsewhere on this blog, tend to fall into two main camps. First, there are the labels who are acquiring licences to issue master copies … More Hidden gems: Ravi Shankar Live in In Luxembourg from International Phonograph Inc

In part 1 of of this piece I introduced and reviewed The George Fludas Organ Quartet on copy master tape from Chicago-based International Phonograph Inc. Here, we venture behind the scenes at IPI to discover more about how the tape was made. I’m grateful to IPI’s Jonathan Horwich for sending me some notes and photographs … More The George Fludas Organ Quartet from International Phonograph: behind the scenes (part 2 of 2)

According to jazz critic John Corbett, “George Fludas is one of the greatest drummers ever to come out of Chicago, an impeccable swinger with imagination, class, moxie, and a clear sense of the full span of jazz tradition.” So, while there are several titles in International Phonograph Inc’s (IPI) collection that I’d been coveting, this … More “One of the greatest drummers to come out of Chicago”: The George Fludas Organ Quartet from International Phonograph (part 1 of 2)